In a wireless communications system, system resources are allocated to subscribers of the wireless communication system. These system resources may include a variety of system assets, such as a channel having a selected transmission frequency, a data transmission rate, a level of service or data transmission quality, a transmission power, or other similar system resources. As more subscribers are served by the communications system, or as the subscribers demand better or more sophisticated services, these system resources allocated by the communication system may be depleted, which may cause some subscribers to have a reduced level of service, or in some cases to go without service at all.
A system resource may be thought of as a finite quantity or a quality of something or some service that the communications system may allocate to one subscriber at the expense or exclusion of another subscriber. For example, the communication system does not have an unlimited number of channels or an unlimited number of frequencies for such channels. Thus, a channel, which may be defined as a means of separating one subscriber's information from another subscriber's information, is a system resource that is allocated to a subscriber when the communication of information with the subscriber is desired. Once the supply is depleted by allocation to a number of subscribers, additional subscribers cannot receive an allocation until some of the system resource is relinquished.
If a system resource is in short supply, but not completely depleted by allocation, allocation of the system resource to one subscriber may cost or otherwise affect another subscriber who will not be allocated a desired level of a requested system resource. Thus, in some instances, subscribers are not excluded from service, but they are asked to operate with a less than requested amount of a system resource.
Several system resources may be collectively allocated when a service is requested. For example, when a channel is allocated the several system resources that may be allocated include: a transmission frequency; a time slot; a user code, such as a spreading code; and the like. This list demonstrates that system resources may be revealed by examining system parameters that are set in order to facilitate communication or services provided to the subscriber unit.
Because system resources are limited, and because the allocation of a system resource to one subscriber may affect another, decisions about allocating a system resource must be made when system resources are depleted, or when the system cannot satisfy all requests for system resources. System resource allocation decisions may also be made in order to conserve system resources and increase the efficiency of the communications system. These increases in efficiency may lower the power used by the communications system, or otherwise increase the overall capacity of the communications system to serve the subscribers.
In the past, allocation of system resources has typically been made on a first-come-first-served basis. This type of rule is not always the fairest way to allocate resources, nor will it always be the most efficient way. Thus, a need exist in a wireless communication system for an improved method and system for allocating system resources to subscribers that attempts to harmonize the needs of a single subscriber with the needs of the other subscribers sharing the system resources.